Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-21

The Athens Banner-W atchman iron
ically says: 1.-The public is hereby noti-
fed that at the summer session Of the
General Assembly an act entitled an act
to establish branch college of the Uni
versity OF Georgia at Athens, Ca, will be
introduced"
The Banner w atchman then makes the
following comment: s'The educational
system of Georgia, so far as the higher
education of its youths is concerned, is
very similar to the convict system. The
same master mind that fashioned the one
seems to have shaped the other, for in
stead Of combining our convicts in one
central place and teaching them some
useful trade, they are scattered over the
state and located in camps which, for
purposes Of convenience, are denomi-
mated by the numerals /, 2, 3, etc. So it
is with our higher educational system:
Instead of sending our youths to one
place where they can be instructed and
taught the sciences and classics under
the tutorship OF experienced and cultured
gentlemen, they are scattered about over
Georgia in branch establishments and
instructed in the branches of higher edu-
cation by comparative novices."
This is not the first time that the State
University has suffered from an indis-
Greet friend. Indeed' nearly all the
troubles it has had in recent years have
been due to the indIscretion Of its
friends. The branches of the State Uni
versity have not hurt that insti-
tuition, for 1t is claimed that the
number OF students now in attendance
upon it is larger than at any other time
since the war. The indiscretion OF the
Banner-W ate Inn an, however, may cause
them to hurt it, because the friends otthe
branches will naturally feel disposed o
retaliate with counter charges.
1t is not true that the instructors in the
branches OF the State University are
noVices. Without exception the instruc-
tors at the head of them are capable and
experienced, and the subordinates are
among the best that have adopted the pro-
fession OF teaching. The branches are
doing great deal OF good that could not
be accomplished If they were not in ex-
istence, Most of the students who at
tend them are unable to pay the expenses
of living at the State University, and they
would thus be debarred from the oppor-
tunIty of obtaining higher education If
they had no alternative but to 20 there.
At Milledgeville, for instance, there are
more than 400 youths who are receiving
the benefit of instruction not so extended,
but not inferior to that given at the State
University. 1t fs not probable that as
many as fifty out of the number could af-
ford to pay the expenses incident to at
tendance upon the State University.
The Banner-W atchmau, and all other
friends of the State University, would do
well TO follow the example of Rev. DR..
Nell, the accomplished chancellor. He
encourages the branches, and has more
than once said that they are destined to
prove valuable auxiliaries of the parent
institution. The youths who attend the
branches, and whose means will allow
them, will naturally seek the State Uni
versity to complete their course. The
truth is, the catalogue Of that institution
shows that to a considerable extent this
is already the case.